


A Twist of the Fates

by cosmicbrowni3



Category: Criminal Minds (US TV)
Genre: Angst, Best Friends, Eventual Fluff, Eventual Romance, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Friends to Lovers, Jealous Spencer Reid, Jealousy, Romance, Romantic Fluff, Starting Over, Tooth-Rotting Fluff
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-04-30
Updated: 2019-06-04
Packaged: 2020-02-09 13:40:57
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 11,685
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18639232
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cosmicbrowni3/pseuds/cosmicbrowni3
Summary: You have just moved to Quantico, Virginia for a fresh start. You bump into a mysterious Spencer Reid at the bar and him and his team change your life forever. What will happen when your old life resurfaces in a more than threatening way?





	1. Chapter 1

You were out one night, standing at the bar and waiting for a drink when you turned and saw your ex, James, at the other end of the bar and turning towards you. He spotted you and your eyes widened in surprise. You had to think quick, you turned and saw the man standing next to you. He was honestly extremely attractive, you noticed, he had loose, curly light brown hair, to die for cheekbones, and focused hazel eyes. He also looked extremely uncomfortable, bars clearly weren’t his scene. You decided he would work for what you were planning, he didn’t look even slightly shady. You quickly turned to him and tapped him on the shoulder. He turned, surprise written on his features. 

You shot him an embarrassed smile before speaking, “Hey, um, my ex is over at the other end of the bar and I was wondering if I could just use you for a moment so that I wouldn’t have to talk to him? I completely understand if you feel uncomfortable and just want to run away but it would really help me out.” You finished in a rush, looking at him with a question in your eyes. 

He nodded reluctantly, “Okay, what would you like me to do?” He asked and you looked behind you fleetingly, James was looking at you intently and whipped back around, not meeting his gaze for a second.

“Um, I don’t know, maybe just like wrap your arm around my shoulders and then like we walk somewhere else?” He looked behind you where you were just looking and saw the recognition in his eyes as he realized which one was your ex. He nodded at you and gingerly wrapped his arm around your shoulders, pulling you close and guiding you away from the bar.

“We can go back to my table if you want, I’m here with my friends from work. They’re a lot more welcoming than I am and I don’t see anyone else here with you.” He finished and you were surprised that he had been able to deduct that so quickly as you had given him no clues as to you being there alone. You nodded shyly and he led you to a big table with six other people sitting around it. You saw the shock and surprise written on all of their faces as you approached, though you didn’t know why. He let you sit down first then took the seat next to you, removing the arm from around your shoulders and you suddenly felt cold. You hadn’t realized how much body heat he had been radiating and you wanted it back.

“Who’s this Pretty Boy?” asked an also very attractive man, where were they coming from? As you looked around the table you noticed everyone there was attractive and you suddenly felt small though you cracked a smile at the nickname your savior had been given. 

“Um, I’m sorry I don’t actually know your name.” He said, blushing and you laughed a bit. 

“Y/N L/N, and you are?” 

“Spencer Reid,” He said then started gesturing to everyone as he told you their names, “Derek Morgan, Emily Prentiss, David Rossi, Penelope Garcia, Luke Alvez, Tara Lewis, and Jennifer Jareau though everyone just calls her JJ.” They all either smiled or waved as they were being introduced and seemed really welcoming. 

“Nice to meet you all, I’m really sorry for intruding, I just had to escape from my ex and Spencer here was close so I just kinda used him as an excuse to not have to talk to him.” You said with an embarrassed smile and they all laughed. 

“So you guys haven’t met until now?” The woman you remembered as Emily asked. 

You shook your head, “Nope.” 

They all looked thoughtful for a moment until Rossi said something, “Interesting.” He said, his gaze fixed on Spencer beside you. You were confused but the topic was quickly dropped. 

“So what do you do for work?” JJ asked, you smiled before answering. 

“I teach art at the community college, what about you guys?” You were curious as to what they did, they all looked strong and like they had seen some serious shit. You had an idea, “Wait wait, let me guess, some kind of law enforcement,” You saw on their faces that you were getting close, “I’m gonna go with FBI.” You said and the colorfully dressed woman, Penelope, you remembered, clapped happily. 

“Correct, sugar plum!” She giggled and you laughed at her nickname for you. 

“How’d you guess?” Spencer asked, saying something for the first time in a while, his head was cocked in confusion. 

You smirked, “You all looked really strong and courageous but also like you had seen some shit, more so than normal cops. So I went with what I consider the next step up, FBI.” You concluded, they all looked impressed and you felt pride rise up in yourself for some reason. 

“We’re profilers, we can tell all about someone by just a glance.” JJ explained.

“Minus me,” Penelope blurted out, “I’m the technical analyst.”

You laughed. “Really? Why don’t you guys put your skills to the test then, what can you tell about me?” You asked, leaning forward. They all looked at you intently for a few moments, studying you, except Penelope who kept making weird faces at you, making you giggle.

“Single, lives alone,” Emily started.

“Pet owner, physically healthy,” Tara added on.

“Maybe a little lonely, new to the city,” JJ said.

“Bookworm, painter also?” Rossi asked and you nodded.

“Gorgeous.” Spencer breathed out from next to you, everyone’s gaze flicking to him, even yours. You eyes widened in shock and he cleared his throat, “Uh, I mean, in late 20’s.” He said while looking down, heat rushing to his cheeks.

Everyone laughed a bit and you continued your night getting to know everyone and making new friends in your foreign city.


	2. Chapter 2

As you were leaving the bar that night you got the numbers of several of those amazing FBI agents and was told to call soon so you could all hangout again. You had no idea why they were being so welcoming but you weren’t one to say no to new people. You went home happy and feeling like you could actually live in Virginia. You had moved to Quantico for a new job and a fresh start, which is just what you were getting.

You entered your apartment, shutting the door behind you with a soft click. The noise was still loud enough though because Luna, your best friend at the moment, ran up to you, her tail brushing your shins as she circled you. You had gotten Luna from a shelter two years ago, no one had wanted her because of her size. She was a siamese maine coon mix that had come from what was known as a “kitten mill” and though she was beautiful she was too big for most people so she ended up in your care after being at the shelter for a few months. It was meant to be temporary but you quickly bonded and became inseparable.

You leaned down and scooped her up, your arms quickly aching due to her weight as you carried her to your bedroom, setting her on the bed and changing into your pajamas before sliding into bed. She cuddled up to you and you quickly fell into a peaceful slumber. You spent the remainder of your weekend either curled up on the couch reading or standing at your easel, working on various unfinished paintings. When Monday rolled around it was time for your first day of work. You planned your outfit the night before so you wouldn’t have to worry about it the day of. As you finished buttoning up your blouse you looked up into your mirror for a once over. You paired your blouse with some skinny jeans and some heeled ankle boots to match. You tossed your hair up into a ponytail and applied a bit of makeup before making some breakfast and heading out the door. 

You drove to work, your favorite songs blasting through the car speakers to further lighten your mood. You pulled up to the college and headed to the art room to get ready. Which you did and eventually the students flooded in and you gave them the first day rundown on how the class would go and everything went off without a hitch. You left the class for lunch and went to the teachers lounge but pausing in the doorway as you recognized a familiar face sitting in the corner alone, nose buried in a book. 

You quickly approached him, “Spencer?” You asked, he looked up at you with surprise written on his features.

“Y/N?” He said with equal surprise, he gestured to the seat across from him and you took it, smiling at him as you plopped down.

“If you don’t mind me asking, why are you here? Don’t you have killers to catch?” You teased and he smiled a bit before answering.

“I teach a course here, I didn’t know it was the same college you were at though.” He answered and you nodded, understanding.

“Well do you mind if I sit here? I mean, I am the newbie,” You smirked and his smile widened.

“Of course not,” You both quickly fell into an easy chatter, continuing to get to know each other. “Just so you know, I wouldn’t mind if you sat here everyday. I don’t really have many friends and I’d love the company.” He added out of nowhere, surprising you with his forwardness, you quickly brushed it off though and broke into an easy smile.

“I’d love that, thank you. Though I don’t see why you would have an abcess of friends, you seem amazing to me.” You pondered and he broke out into a blush at your compliment.

“Thank you, though I’m not sure many would agree with you.” 

“And why is that?” 

“I’m sorta… awkward? Haven’t you noticed?” He said and you cocked your head in confusion.

“No, I didn’t. Whatever though, their loss.” You smirked and he gave a shy smile before grabbing his mug and standing up.

“Coffee?” He asked and you nodded before handing him your own mug. You pulled out your lunch, setting it on the table and digging in. He came back a few moments later and handed you your mug before reclaiming his seat across from you. You took a test sip your your coffee and your nose unintentionally crinkled. “That bad?” He asked shyly.

You laughed before answering, “It’s just really bitter, I tend to take my coffee equal parts sugar and coffee.” You said shyly, embarrassed about your coffee preferences. Spencer broke out into a small smile though, as if trying to hold it back. “What’re you so smiley for?” You prodded.

“Nothing,” He shook his head as if to clear it, “it’s just, that’s how I like mine too.” He finished and you both smiled, happy at the similarity.

You smirked, “Well then, just gimme yours.” You teased, reaching over and taking the mug from his grasp, your fingers brushing over his as you grabbed it. You grinned at him before putting the mug to your lips, him intently watching as you gingerly took a sip. His gaze locked on your lips intensely as you swallowed. You hummed, the sweetness of the coffee soothing you. “Perfect.” You smiled before returning the mug to Spencer, his gaze still locked on you. “But I don’t want to suck down your coffee so I’ll just rectify my own.” You smiled before getting up and dumping sugar into your own coffee, Spencer’s gaze burning a hole into your back as you stirred the liquid. You returned to your seat, both of you taking a swig of coffee before speaking. You leaned your head back, a content smile written on your face. 

“Better?” He asked.

“Much. Now I gotta dig into my food, can’t teach on an empty stomach.” You quipped, taking a bite of your bagel. You looked over to Spencer to see him just looking down, taking sips of his coffee. “Where’s your lunch?” You poked him in the arm and he gave you a bashful smile.

“I forgot to pack one… but I really don’t need anything, I’m fine.” he insisted and you laughed, shaking your head before breaking your bagel in half and handing him the unbitten half. “Are you sure?” He asked and you nodded eagerly before returning to your food. You both chatted comfortably till it was time for your next class. 

“See you tomorrow?” You asked and he nodded, you waved before heading off in the opposite direction as him, immediately feeling like something was missing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i feel like this chapter is a little weak but I promise the next one will be better, ty for reading! <3


	3. Chapter 3

It was a few weeks later when you finally made plans to go have drinks with your new FBI friends. You and Spencer had gotten closer and closer over time and you could say with complete certainty that he was your best friend in your new town. You didn’t know if he felt the same way but frankly, you didn’t care. You were just happy to have him around. 

As you got ready to go you pondered how you were able to find friends so quickly. Back in your hometown it was always difficult for you to make friends whether at school or at work, it hadn’t happened easily which is one of the reasons you were so ready to move and try something new. You pulled on some black skinny jeans, a striped blouse with a cardigan over it, and some boots. You curled your hair and looked yourself over once in the mirror before nodding and heading out the door. You were all heading to Rossi’s place to peruse his expensive scotch collection and you were excited to spend time with all of them. You pulled up to Rossi’s house and sucked in a breath. You take it back, this is not a house. This is a mansion. You had never been to a mansion in your life and you felt the nervousness rise up in you before pushing it back down and going to knock on the front door. It opened a moment later with a smiling Emily on the other side.

“Y/N! I’m so glad you could make it!” She said before she pulled you into a hug. 

You returned the hug happily, excited to see her. “Thank you for inviting me! How have you been?” You asked as you followed her into the main room where everyone was mingling. So far Rossi, JJ, Morgan, Tara, Luke, and Penelope had arrived, scattered in a circle and chatting happily. 

“I’ve been great! We finally got a break from work, hence the drinking night.” She said with a grin, arriving next to the group and joining them seamlessly.

“Oh sugarplum! It’s so good to see you!” Penelope rushed you, wrapping her arms around you in an iron-tight embrace.

“Good to see you too!” You choked out, “You’re squeezing me a little too tight there, Pen.” You said and she released you, apologizing profusely. You laughed it off, but getting cut off by the doorbell ringing. Rossi ran to get it and returned a few moments later with both Spencer and an attractive asian man you didn’t recognize.

“Y/N L/N, meet Matt Simmons.” Rossi introduced, you stuck out your hand and Matt shook it with a firm grip and a confident smile. 

“Nice to meet you!” You said eagerly.

“You too, Reid and Garcia won’t stop talking about you,” He said and you turned to Spencer and Penelope, raising an eyebrow at them. They both blushed, looking down at the floor and you laughed, turning back to Matt.

“Not all bad things I hope,” You and he chuckled.

“All good things!” He reassured you and you nodded with a smile. You all rounded up, pouring drinks and chatting easily. Soon you were all happily buzzed and looking for something to do.

“Anyone wanna watch a movie?” Tara asked and a few of people, including you, nodded eagerly. You all filed into Rossi’s home theater and spread out onto the seats, Spencer and you sharing a small couch. As the movie got ready to start you leaned back on the couch while taking a long swig of your scotch, you watched the introduction, feeling the warmth of the man beside you. Everyone had decided on a horror movie and while you loved them there were moments that could get to be too much for you, especially jumpscares. Which is just what happened. The faux ghost popped up onto the screen and even though it was a cheap scare it still got you. You gasped and unintentionally nuzzled your face into Spencer’s shoulder. You felt him stiffen and you pulled back quickly, realizing what you were doing. You blushed fiercely and turned back to the screen quickly and with intensity though feeling Spencer's gaze stay on you for a few moments before doing the same. The movie went on with no more such incidents though by the end you were lying on the couch with your head in Spencer’s lap, his fingers combing through your hair absentmindedly. Both of you were a bit more drunk than you’d like to admit and were having no second thoughts about what you were doing. All you knew was that it felt right and you didn’t want it to stop. The movie ended and the lights turned on, You sat up quickly and looked at Spencer with an embarrassed look. He returned it, both your cheeks aflame. You stood up, the blood rushing and making it so you couldn’t see your a moment. You rubbed your eyes tiredly before approaching Rossi shamefully.

“Hey, I drank a bit too much, do you think I could just crash in your guest room for tonight?” You asked, looking down.

Rossi gave you a reassured, slightly teasing, smile before answering, “Sure, but you’ll have to share with Reid. He already reserved it.” You looked at him with a questioning glance, “We have nights like these a lot and everyone usually plans ahead on how much they want to drink and calls dibs on the bed or couch if they’re planning on drinking a lot.” He explained and you nodded in understanding.

“Oh, has anyone reserved the couch?” You asked hopefully.

He gave you an apologetic smile and you could tell the answer, “Luke did.” You heard footsteps behind you and turned to find Spencer, you made your mind and shot him a smile.

“Hey bunk buddy, you ready for bed?”


	4. Chapter 4

Spencer stared at you with wide eyes, “What?” 

“Well you already called the bed but there’s no way I’m driving home in my state and there’s nowhere else for me to sleep so…” you trailed off with a smile. 

He blushed fiercely, “Okay then… off to bed then?” He proposed with nervousness and you agreed by walking ahead of him down the hall, a pep in your step. Something occurred to you and you paused in the middle of the hallway, realizing you didn’t know where you were going. You heard Spencer laugh behind you and you turned around giving him an embarrassed smile. “You a little lost there, Sunshine?” He asked and you blushed at the nickname he had given you. 

You scratched the back of your neck for a moment before answering, “Heh, possibly, if you wouldn’t mind leading the way?” You asked and he nodded before taking a few steps to the door directly to the left of you and opening it with a grand flourish. You rolled your eyes. “You could’ve just pointed you know.” 

“Well it was more fun this way.” He said with a smirk and you glared before walking into the room, not bothering to flick the light on and Spencer filing in behind you. Without second thought you started undressing to get more comfortable. You pulled off your cardigan and did the trick to get your bra off without actually taking off your shirt and you pulled off your skinny jeans, happy to get some air flow onto your legs. This left you in just your blouse, undershirt, and underwear and Spencer’s gaze was quickly captivated as you slid under the covers. 

You still didn’t really full comprehend your actions and their effects so you just gave him a sleepy smile before speaking, “You coming?” You asked followed by a yawn and you turned around, facing away from him before feeling your eyelids get heavy. A few moments later you felt the mattress dip with the weight of Spencer and you turned back around to face him. “Hi.” 

He smiled lightly in the darkness, “Hi.” He responded.

“How’s your day?”

He laughed, “Fine, you?” 

“Great,” You yawned, “I’m tired.”

He smiled again, only sleepier, “Go to bed, Y/N.” He whispered and you shivered at his voice.

“No you.” You responded childishly, giggling at your own response. You saw him roll his eyes before smirking.

“Goodnight Y/N.”

“Goodnight Spencer.”

\---------  
The next morning you woke up to the sun shining through a window of a room you didn’t know and something, or rather someone, curled around you. You blinked a few times, adjusting to the light. You had a hangover but it wasn’t bad, just a mild headache. You tried to roll onto your back only to feel the arms wrapped around your waist tighten and your eyes widened in shock. You turned your head to see a sleeping Spencer behind you, face smoothed of wrinkles in his peaceful slumber. Your shock subsided and you smiled a bit, enjoying the warmth and comfort he was providing. You cuddled back into his arms without a second thought and drifted back to sleep.

You woke up sometime later, the space behind you cold with the absence of Spencer. This time you rolled onto your back successfully, stretching your arms and legs and yawning as you did. You looked around the room to find you were alone. Weird, but you shrugged it off, getting up and redressing with only mild embarrassment. After you were put together again you left the room, following the sound of voices and the smell of breakfast. You ended up in the kitchen with Rossi, Luke, and Spencer huddled around the kitchen island, eating something that you could only assume was delicious.

“Morning!” You said cheerily, approaching them and looking over Luke’s shoulder with interest. There were homemade bear claws stacked on a plate and you eagerly pushed your way in between Spencer and Luke and snatched up a bear claw. You took your first bite, moaning at the sweetness. “Ohmygodsogood.” You rushed out, your eyes fluttering shut.

“You okay over there?” Rossi asked and you nodded eagerly before taking another bite.

“My true love.” You said dramatically, gazing deeply at the delicious pastry in front of you. Everyone laughed and you settled into a comfortable chatter until all of the goodies were gone. “While this has been a pleasure everyone, I’m sure my cat is missing me so I better head home.” You said sadly.

“You have a cat?” Luke asked and you nodded.

“Yup, Her name’s Luna, about yay big.” You gestured widely with your arms, “Sweetest thing on Earth. You’d love her.” You said happily.

“That’s one big feline, Maine Coon?” Rossi asked.

“Mm-hmm, you know your cat breeds.” You paused, an idea popping into your head. “You should bring Roxy over sometime and we can go on a run!” You proposed to Luke and he nodded.

“Sounds like a plan, just text me when you’re up for it, though I do find it strange that you take your cat on runs.” He said but grinning and you returned it. You noticed Spencer was being unusually quiet and you turned to him, your smile fading when you saw his expression. He was shooting daggers at the both of you though you didn’t know why.

“You okay, Spence?” You asked, nudging him with your elbow playfully.

He nodded. “Yeah, fine.” His gaze was still fixed on Luke and after a moment it finally focused on you, softening a bit with an emotion you could not name. 

“Well I’ll see you all later, okay?” You asked and they all nodded, you gave Luke and Rossi a quick hug and after turning to Spencer and seeing his still sour expression you leaned over and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek, muttering that you’d see him at work and you left. Mind swirling and pondering what could’ve made him so grouchy, without seeing the gaze of longing and flushed cheeks you’d left on Spencer.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry I took so long to update! My birthday was on Tuesday so my week has been vry busy but I'm back now so I should be updating quicker! Thank you for reading! <3


	5. Chapter 5

It was a week later when both you and Luke found the time to go on a run together. As you left work that day there was a slight change of plans. 

“So what’re you up to for the rest of the day?” Spencer asked you on your way out of the school.

“Not much, just going on that jog with Luke, you?” 

“Oh, uh, nothing I think I’m just going to stay at home, read a few books.” He said shyly.

“Well do you wanna tag along with me and Luke? I doubt he would care.” You said with an easy smile. 

His gaze softened, “A-are you sure?” He asked.

You laughed, “Of course!” You shot Luke a quick text before saying goodbye to Spencer, telling him you’d meet him at the trail. Which is what you did, you harnessed Luna, her excitement evident as soon as you put it on. You pulled up to the trail head, Luke and Spencer already there, chatting. You got out, letting Luna out at the same time and she rushed Roxy who was sitting patiently next to Luke, her tail wagging excitedly. You laughed as they greeted each other, sniffing to get acquainted. You lifted your gaze to see Spencer looking at you distractedly, you had decided on a sports bra and some leggings for comfort and it was clearly catching his eye. You smirked, “Like what you see, Spence?” You asked and he blushed fiercely.

“Uh- I- um--” 

You laughed, “Don’t sweat it, you guys ready?” You asked the both of them till you really noticed what Spencer was wearing. It was the first time you’d seen him in a t-shirt and your eyes caught on his arms that were surprisingly buff. You tore your gaze away to see Luke staring at the both of you with a smirk.

“Ready when you are.” Luke said and you nodded, tightening your grip on Luna’s leash and leading her away, matching your pace as you sprinted down the trail, ahead of the boys. After a few minutes your pace slowed a bit as you grew tired and Roxy and Luke took the lead, leaving you, Spencer, and Luna to find a comfortable pace… which was way too slow for Luke.

“I don’t get how he does it!” You said exasperatedly, gesturing several yards away, where Luke was taking a quick water break before he took off again.

“He’s had a lot of training and experience,” He said breathlessly. You nodded, breathing heavily. You turned your head a bit to look at Spencer, you saw the profile of his face, the one curl that had fallen into his face, and the determined expression he wore to keep up. You were so entranced you didn’t see the gnarled tree root in the path and you stumbled, almost faceplanting if it weren’t for the steady arms that caught you. You gasped, looking up at Spencer, both of you breathing heavily. “Are you okay?” He asked and you nodded, his arms were wrapped around your waist tightly and your skin felt on fire where he was touching it.

“Mm-hmm. Thank you.” You straightened yourself up and Spencer released you, putting some distance between you. “Let’s take a quick break.” You said, Luna put her paws on your legs, leaning up as if to check that you were okay. You smiled at her, scratching behind her ears happily.

“Um, I just thought I’d let you know that the BAU needs my help on a case so I won’t be around for the next few weeks. I just thought I’d tell you so you wouldn’t worry, not that you would but--” He was rambling so you took a step toward him, touching his arm lightly to get his attention. He looked up at you with worried but sincere eyes.

“Thank you for telling me,” You said softly, “I would’ve worried.” You gave him a gentle smile before it turned into a smirk. “Race ya!” You called before pushing off, going as fast as you could. “First one to Luke wins!” You called over your shoulder. In the end Spencer won, his FBI training kicking in and leaving you and Luna in the dust. You ended back up in the parking lot a few hours later, thoroughly sweaty and worn out. As you put Luna back in the car you heard some hushed voices behind you. You turned, seeing Spencer and Luke in what looked like a heated argument. Luke looked like he was forcefully encouraging Spencer to do something and Spencer adamantly shutting it down. As you shut the car door you spooked them out of their conversation and they tried their hardest to cover it up, acting like nothing had happened. “Okay weirdos, what’s going on?” You asked.

“Nothin’ I better get going, see you in a few weeks?” Luke asked smoothly, flawlessly acting like nothing had happened. You nodded suspiciously and gave him a quick hug and Roxy a goodbye scratch before he left, leaving just you and Spencer. You turned to him, a little sad.

“So it’ll be a few weeks till I see you again?” 

He scratched the back of his neck before speaking, “Yeah, I guess so.” 

“I’ll miss you,” You said bashfully, looking down at the ground.

“I’ll miss you too,” He said, equally as bashful.

You looked up at him with a smile, “Call me, okay?” 

“Okay.” He said quietly and before you could overthink it you wrapped your arms around him, burying your face into his chest. He was shocked at first but quickly adapted, his arms circling you just as tight.

“Bye, Spence.” 

“Goodbye, Y/N.”


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> shit's gettin crazzyyyy

It was two days later when you finally got a call from Spencer, the thought of him being in the field made you uneasy but you brushed it off, telling yourself it was very unlikely that anything would happen. You were sitting on your couch, watching your favorite sitcom and munching on some goldfish when your phone rang. You swiped it from the coffee table, reading Spencer’s name and quickly answering, putting the phone to your ear.

“Hi!” You started cheerfully.

“Hi,” He answered tiredly, for some reason you relaxed at hearing his voice. You just chalked it up to needing verbal confirmation that he was okay.

“You ok? You seem… tired.”

“Yeah, this case… I’m not used to it so it’s just taking some time to get immune to it again.”

“Immune to what?” You asked.

“The things I see, the bodies, the distraught families, it’s harder than I remember.” He said with a heavy sigh.

Wanting to help you said, “Tell me about it. The case, I mean.” You clarified.

“A-are you sure?” He asked tentatively.

“Of course, anything to help.” You said honestly.

“Well, we think it’s a man, around 30-40, he’s been torturing women and leaving them dead in their college dorms. He does this thing where he takes the women’s scarves and strangles them with it… the amount of rage--” You weren’t listening though, your hand went slack and your phone fell to the floor, the noise shaking you out of your trance and you picked it up frantically. 

“Y/N? Are you okay?” He asked worriedly.

“D-do you have a lead suspect?” You asked him quickly.

“What?”

“Do you have a lead suspect Spencer?!” You said, bordering on anger.

“Yes, Damien Locke.” Your blood ran cold at hearing his answer.

“That’s him.” 

“How do you know? Oh. Y/N, we’ll catch him, okay? We’re hot on his trail, we’ll get him in no time. We might have to ask you some questions though.” He said, his worry flooding into his voice as he spoke.

“Of course. Anything you need.” You said, you were starting to feel lightheaded so you sat on your couch to rest but you wouldn’t break. You had gotten this far and you weren’t going to break just at hearing his name.

“I’ll call you back in a few minutes with the team, a-... are you going to be okay?” He asked tentatively. 

“I’ll be fine, go get the team Spencer.”

“Ok, Y/N.”

He video called you on your laptop a few minutes later, the team crowded around a table in what looked like a police station… that looked vaguely familiar.

“You guys are in Seattle aren’t you?” You said as if it weren’t even a question, you knew the answer. Seeing them there just further solidified that it was indeed Damien, but you once again steeled yourself. You could be strong so you took a deep breath that came out like a sigh and put on your game face. “So, what do you want to know?” 

“There’s records of Damien having a spouse that would come in to the ER with broken bones, concussions, and other injuries. Classic signs of spousal abuse but her name was never documented due to confidentiality. Was that you?” Emily asked, getting straight to the point. You could see both JJ and Spencer shooting daggers at her but you didn’t let it get to you.

You cleared your throat before speaking so you wouldn’t trip over your words. “Yes, that was me. I met Damien my Freshman year of highschool. He was a sophomore so it was already weird for us to be dating but we did anyway. Things were good all through high school and on my graduation night he asked me to marry him. I said yes, I thought he was the love of my life.” You took a deep breath to keep the tears at bay, not daring to look up and see the pitying faces of the team. “We eloped in Vegas and I started up college at UW that fall, looking back now… I don’t know why I agreed to any of it. But that’s when things got bad. I was constantly working for my degree so I obviously spent less time with him and he started accusing me of going to bars and cheating on him. At first he would just throw things but it escalated to where he started hitting me for the smallest things. It was late into my Sophomore year by then and I met James. If it weren’t for him I would probably still be with Damien, or worse. I started distancing myself from Damien and it obviously enraged him and the abuse just got worse. James finally convinced me to break it off with him so one night I invited Damien over to my dorm and I broke the news to him. Me and James had a plan where if I didn’t text him by 8:00 to tell him I was ready to go, I was planning on taking off with him, than James would come to get me and make sure I was okay. So obviously Damien snapped when I told him I wanted to leave him and he…” The tears were flowing now and you couldn’t hold them back. “He tried to strangle me with the scarf I was wearing. If James hadn’t burst in when he did… I’d probably be dead by now. James knocked him out and we ran off. I never went back. I switched my phone number and moved away, James served him the divorce papers and he reluctantly signed them. Me and James stayed together through it all, he was loving and caring but my PTSD got to be too much for him though and we split up about a year ago, which is when I moved to D.C..” You finished, taking another deep breath and hastily wiping tears off your cheeks. “Any questions?”

“Where is James now?” Rossi asked, breaking the awkward silence that had surfaced.

“He lives in New York but he travels for work.” You mumbled.

“Okay, someone needs to go back to D.C and talk to James and to keep Y/N company, it’s clear she’s the real target.” Emily ordered and you heard her phone ring before she answered it, her face blanching as she listened to what she was being told. She hung up quickly and the team turned away from you, their voices hushed.

“What’s going on?” You asked frantically and they all turned, as if remembering you were still there, waiting. When you saw their expressions you froze, your anxiety spiking. You felt a panic attack bubbling up and you took deep breaths to calm yourself. “What is it? Please, I need to know.” You begged, Spencer looked terrified and you knew it could only be something bad.

“He’s on his way to D.C.”


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> buckle ur seatbelts kiddos, it's a long one

You stared straight ahead, your eyes not focusing on anything. You were vaguely aware of the warm feeling of tears rolling down your cheeks though you didn’t know where they had come from, you didn’t remember when you started crying again. Or maybe you hadn’t stopped and just didn’t notice.

“Y/N!” You heard someone call your name and your gaze focused on the computer screen. It was Emily and you realized there was someone missing from the crowd.

“Where’s Spencer?” You asked calmly, monotone.

“He’s on his way to you. Are you going to be okay till then? We’re going to catch him, you don’t have to worry.” Emily explained and you nodded limply.

“I have to go now.” You said and without waiting for an answer you shut your laptop, leaving it on the coffee table while you laid across the couch, your tears falling onto the surface of it, you felt numb. You must’ve fallen asleep eventually because the next thing you remember is the pounding on your front door and it suddenly being dark outside, a silence in the streets that only came with the latest hours in the day. You groaned, sitting up and stretching, feeling the discomfort in your neck and back from sleeping on the couch. You heard the pounding once again and you rushed to the door, looking through the peephole before quickly throwing the door open. Spencer stood there, clothes rumpled, bags under his eyes, emotions played on his face worry, terror, and finally relief at seeing you. You pulled him inside and shut the door behind you both, turning to face him. The air felt charged and he looked at you intensely before your face crumpled once again and tears started to flow down your cheeks.

“Can I hug you?” He asked quietly and you let out a bitter laugh.

“That’s all I want.” You muttered and he rushed you as if he was restraining himself from doing it before, his arms wrapping around you and yours wrapping around his neck as you buried your face, your tears dampening his shirt. You both stood like this for a few minutes till Spencer broke the silence.

“It’s three in the morning, do you want to sleep?” He whispered in your ear, which sent shivers down your spine and you nodded, untangling yourself from him. You both went to your bedroom and you slid under the covers, sinking into the pillows. You saw Spencer turn to leave, satisfied with your place in the room.

“Don’t leave!” You whimpered and he turned.

“I was just going to go sleep on the couch.” He explained but you shook your head adamantly.

“Please, I can’t be alone right now.” A tear slid down your cheek and your lip quivered. After a moment Spencer nodded and came over to the unoccupied side of the bed, kicking off his shoes and coat before sliding into bed next to you. He kept to his side of the bed and you turned on your side to face him. He followed suit so you were both facing each other. 

“How are you doing?” He asked quietly.

“I don’t know. There’s too much. I can’t sort through it.” You whispered.

“Through what?”

Your lip trembled, “My emotions. I do know I’m glad you’re here though.” You admitted, looking down. You felt his hand come up and cup your cheek, you unintentionally nuzzled into it, enjoying the comfort and warmth he was providing.

“I’ll always be here for you, Y/N. I hope you know that.” He whispered breathily and you nodded, his sentiment making you cry more.

“Thank you.” You whispered, you snuggled up close to him, your face pressed into his chest and his arms circled you almost instinctively, his face nuzzled into your neck, breathing you in. He let out a sigh that sounded suspiciously like relief and relaxed in your arms. You fell asleep like that, tangled together, and feeling the safest you’d been in years, even if it wasn’t true.

You woke up to Spencer spooning you from behind and you savored his warmth, bliss encompassing you till you remembered the danger you were in and you physically sensed up.

“Are you okay?” You heard Spencer whisper into your ear, surprised, you turned in his arms to face him. He gazed into your eyes with a mix of worry and hesitation. “Do you want me to move?” He asked, moving to untangle himself from you. You grabbed his arm, not letting him move.

“Please don’t. It all just came crashing down but trust me, I don’t want you to go anywhere.” You murmured. 

He shot you a soft smile, “We do have to get up though,” he said, slightly reluctant.

You groaned, dropping your head to rest it against Spencer’s chest, “What time is it?” You asked, your voice slightly muffled.

You felt him shake with laughter, “It’s already 11, the team flew in early this morning and they’re waiting at the bureau for us. Your ex, James is also coming down. He should get there soon.” He explained and you groaned again.

“Fine, you make a good case, Dr. Reid.” You said, looking up at him before you rolled away and off the bed to get ready for the day. Spencer busied himself in your kitchen with you got ready and you went out and joined him. He passed you a cup of coffee that was perfectly sweet and you shot him a grateful look before you took a sip. You both packed up and headed to the BAU, driving there together in silence. As you got out of the car you noticed a vehicle that was achingly familiar and you sucked in a shaky breath. You felt fingertips gaze your palm and you clutched Spencer’s hand, shooting him a grateful look and he let you lead him inside at your own pace, hand in hand. You both walked into the bullpen and you spotted James, back to you, and speaking intently with JJ. You looked at Spencer once more and leaned up to press a quick kiss on his cheek before you dropped his hand, not wanting to have to answer the team's relentless questions if they saw you holding hands. As you made your way over to James you saw him turn and his gaze lock with yours. He rushed you, wrapping his arms around you in an iron-tight embrace and placing a lingering kiss onto your temple. 

“I’m so sorry, love. I should’ve known he would do something this drastic, bastard. ” His English accent cutting through and you gazed up at him with gratefulness gleaming in your eyes.

“Thank you for coming,” You said with a soft smile, stepping back from his embrace and both of you dropping your arms. You felt a presence next to you and turned to see a mildly pissed off Spencer who was not so slyly glaring at James. Why? You didn’t know. You cleared your throat, breaking the silence, “James, this is Dr. Spencer Reid. Spence, this is James.” You gestured accordingly and James stuck his hand out easily.

“Nice to meet you,” James drawled Spencer looked down at James’s hang as if it had insulted him.

“I don’t shake.” He answered bluntly, turning to you, he said, “I’m gonna go get some coffee. You want anything?” He asked and you nodded, asking for coffee. He walked off, without so much as a glance to James.

“Wonder who pissed in his cheerios,” James teased and you shot him an embarrassed smile.

“Sorry, he just… takes some time to warm up to people but he’s amazing, I promise.” You tried to assure him but he just smirked.

“Ah, I see, he’s got eyes for my lovely, doesn’t he?” He grinned and you blushed fiercely.

“He does not!” You insisted but he just brushed you off. Just then Penelope and Emily walked up, successfully ending your conversation.

“Hey Y/N,” Emily greeted, semi-carefully, as if you might break at any moment. “Where’s Reid?” She asked and you nodded your head to the break room and she nodded knowingly. “You doing okay?” She asked, touching your shoulder reassuringly and you nodded with a thin lipped smile.

“We’re all here for you girly,” Penelope said with a sad smile before it switched into a sort of smirk, “So, who’s this stud you’ve been hiding from us?” She asked, gesturing to James.

“James Taylor,” He introduced himself, putting his hand out where he shook both Penelope and Emily’s hands. “Pleasure to meet you both, though I wish it were under better circumstances.” He said with his usual charismatic smile. They both nodded and you felt a presence come up behind you, pressing a cup of coffee into your hands.

“Thank you,” You said quietly, not wanting to disrupt the already occurring conversation.

“No problem,” He said just as quietly though it didn’t sound as friendly as it normally would’ve. You reached out and laid a hand his forearm, it jolted him out of his funk where he had been watching James like a hawk. His gaze focused on you and softened.

“You okay?” You asked and he nodded, brushing you off. You frowned, a little hurt.

“So should we get on with this? Y/N’s life is on the line.” Spencer butted into the conversation and everyone snapped their gaze to him, Emily’s cheeks burning as she realized how unprofessional she was being, James just had that impression on people.

“Yes, of course, I’m sorry. James would you come with me? We have some questions we need to ask.” She announced, motioning for him to follow her. Spencer also followed close behind, wanting to be a part of the questioning. That just left you and Penelope, you frowning after the disappearing group, wondering what you had done to make Spencer so cold towards you.


	8. Chapter 8

As you flopped down into Spencer’s desk chair you let out a heavy sigh that instantly caught Penelope’s attention.

“What’s wrong my lovely sugar plum?” She asked, rolling up her own chair next to you.

“Nothing, just a little scared.” You lied, not wanting Penelope to catch on.

She looked like she wanted to press it but decided against it, “Of course, sorry, stupid question. They’ll catch him though, they always do.” She insisted and you nodded absentmindedly. “I need to get back to work, wanna come with me?” She offered and you nodded, following her into her little techy cave. She motioned to the couch in her office and you laid across it, head on the armrest. She pulled a small fleece throw blanket out of nowhere and tossed it at you. 

“Thanks,” You murmured before wrapping yourself up in it and falling into a dreamless sleep. You woke about an hour later, groaning as you sat up, stretching your limbs. Penelope was gone so you got up and walked into the bullpen. You saw Matt, Emily, Tara, James, Penelope, Emily, and Spencer huddled around and you approached them, not wanting to be left out of anything. You squeezed between Spencer and Tara.

“What’s going on?” You asked, stifling a yawn.

“We’re trying to figure out where the safest place would be for you and James, we couldn’t stop the plane on time so he made it here but we put out an APB for him so we just have to wait for someone to see him. Until then we need somewhere safe for you two.” She explained and you nodded.

“Why James too?” You asked.

“Because Damien knows that he came between you two and now that he’s here he might go to James for info on you.” Luke said with pitying eyes, looking around you could see that most of them were looking at you like that.

You rolled your eyes, “Please stop looking at me like that. I’m not gonna break, I just need him caught.” You said, frustrated and you turned and walked off, not waiting for an answer. You went to the break room, putting your hands on the counter and looking into the sink as if it were Damien himself. You heard the door open and you turned, seeing Spencer approaching you. He paused a few feet away. “Do you need something, Spencer?”

“You will break.” He said simply and your anger flared up.

“I will not! You don’t know me enough to say what I will or won’t do!” You yelled, knowing you were hurting him but his face stayed just caring and concerned.

“It’s not your personality, everyone breaks, at some point or another. You can’t keep it bottled up.” He explained and you shook your head.

“Why’re you even being nice to me? You’ve been cold towards me all day.” You said angrily.

He blushed, “Uh- um, no reason. J-just an off morning, that’s all.” He stammered and you crossed your arms.

“Really? I don’t buy that. I thought we were all good, the duo as strong as ever but then you kept brushing me off so when you wanna start being real with me--” You paused abruptly to inhale a shaky breath. His coldness was hurting you more than being on a kill list and you had to hold your tears back. “ When you want to be real then we can talk. I thought you were my best friend.” You finished before storming out, leaving Spencer both appalled and at a loss for words. You marched back into the bullpen, attempting to just book it to the bathroom and have a pity-cry there. James spotted you though and intercepted you.

“Hey, hey, where’s the fire?” He asked, slightly teasing.

“Not in the mood.” You ground out, trying to stop your lip from trembling.

“Ok, hey why don’t we go and talk somewhere private. It’s clear something is bugging you.” He said and you nodded reluctantly. He found an unused office and led you in, closing the door behind you both. “What’s going on, Y/N?” 

You shook your head, “Nothing, it’s just Damien, you know?”

He crossed his arms, giving you a look that said seriously?, “You have to know I won’t buy that. We were together for 10+ years. You can’t fool me that easily, love.” He said and you let out a heavy sigh.

“I-it’s just, Spencer. He’s been so hot and cold with me and it’s freaking me out. I really don’t want to lose him.” You explained and he nodded knowingly.

“And this started this morning?” He asked and you nodded, looking down at your shoes. “Oh. It’s me then. He feels intimidated.” He said easily and you looked up in surprise.

“Why would he feel intimidated?” You asked incredulously.

“Because he clearly wants more than friendship.” He replied as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

“No, he doesn’t. We’re just friends.” You denied it but as you thought about it you did realize how your feelings had changed. How when he touched you you felt like you were on fire, how just a glance from him could make butterflies flutter in your stomach, and how he could sputter off the longest, most random facts and you’d love every second of it. You liked him… maybe even loved him, as way more than a friend and you saw why he would never feel the same way. You were just a boring, damaged art teacher with a cat as her best friend. Before James could see the tears rising you pushed past him and out of the office. You speed walked to the women’s bathroom and as soon as you heard that door close you let it out, sobbing as you sunk to the bathroom floor. It wasn’t just because of Spencer, it was everything. He was right, you did break and you didn’t know how you’d put yourself back together. It was too much, your life was on the line, both of your exes were back in your life, your new best friend was distancing himself from you in the time you needed him most. You heard the door creak open and looked up to find Emily, she rushed to your side.

“Y/N? What’s wrong, are you hurt?” She asked and you shook your head. She attempted to rise to her feet saying “I’ll go get Spencer,” But you grabbed her sleeve, stopping her in her tracks.

“Please don’t. I can’t bear for him to see me like this,” You begged and she nodded, sitting back down with you and holding you comfortingly till you eventually stopped crying. “Have you figured out where I’ll be staying?” You sniffled.

“Yeah, we found a hotel about twenty minutes from here. Reid and JJ will be accompanying both of you for safety purposes.” She explained and you nodded.

“W-when are we leaving?” You asked shakily.

“Whenever you’re ready.” She rubbed your shoulder before standing up and offering her hand to you. 

You took it and she pulled you up, “Okay, thank you,” You ran your hands through your hair, soothing it back, “If I could just have a few minutes to myself, then I’ll be ready.”

She nodded and with one last glance at you she left, the door swinging closed behind her. You turned and looked in the mirror. Your eyes were red from crying and your face was puffy and blotchy. You splashed some cold water onto your face and wiped off the mascara that had ran below your eyes. 

“That’s as good as it’s gonna get.” You muttered to yourself before taking a deep breath and leaving. As you entered the bullpen you saw Spencer frantically asking Emily questions but you could tell by her expression she wasn’t giving anything up. You met her gaze and mouthed a silent thank you. She nodded and you gave her a watery smile before looking away. “Are we ready to go?”


	9. Chapter 9

You walked right past Spencer and Emily, not even acknowledging him and walked to JJ and James. “Can we go? I really need a nap.” They looked to you and you could see JJ analyzing you, she noticed the tear stained cheeks and the tiredness in your eyes but she didn’t comment on it. 

“Of course,” She turned to Spencer, “You ready, Spence?” She asked and he nodded, moving over to your small group and standing beside you. You felt his attempts at getting you to look at him but you couldn’t. Your feelings would boil over and things would get way too complicated. You all said your goodbyes and you piled into an SUV.

As you pulled out of the parking lot something occurred to you, “Hey, could we stop at my apartment? I need to grab some clothes and stuff.” JJ looked into the mirror to meet your gaze.

“We can’t, but I’ll send someone over as soon as we get to the hotel, just make a list, okay?” She instructed and you nodded, leaning back against your seat. James was sitting next to you and Spencer was in shotgun, so he was in earshot but James leaned over to you anyway.

“You okay, love? You kinda rushed out earlier, I didn’t mean to upset you.” He said softly but you could tell it still was heard by Spencer because he stiffened in his seat. 

You nodded, “Yeah, I just needed some air. I’m good now.” You said with a small smile and he nodded hesitantly before leaning back into his rightful spot. Your head rested against the window and soon enough you had drifted off to sleep. Not waking even when you arrived at the hotel and Spencer scooped you up. Holding you close to his chest as he carried you to the room, setting you down lightly on the bed before going into the hall. You woke abruptly in the middle of the night, chest heaving and breathing heavily. You’d had a nightmare, Damien had been chasing you while you frantically ran, looking for anyone to help you but no one was there. You took deep breaths, trying to calm yourself down. You looked around frantically, not knowing where you were till you took in the room you were in, realizing it was a hotel room. You looked to the right and found another bed, a figure sleeping soundly under the covers. After a few moments of observing you concluded that from the curls poking out that the slumbering figure was Spencer and without another thought of what had happened previously in the day you threw the blankets back and slid into the other bed, wrapping your arms around Spencer’s shoulders and pressing your face into his back. He stirred and turned over in surprise.

“Y/N?” He asked softly, still half-asleep. 

“Mmhmm?” You murmured, now nuzzling into his chest, eyes closed.

“What’re you doing?” He asked and you shrugged.

“I’m still mad at you but I missed you and I need sleep.” You replied softly.

“Why’re you mad at me?” 

“In the morning, Doctor.” You said firmly and he wrapped his arms around you, holding you close till you both fell asleep. Your last conscious thought before slumber was simply the wish that you could have these nights without the awkward mornings, without the thought that you might be damaging your friendship or scaring him away.

You woke up the next morning, Spencer wrapped around you. You peeled his arm from your waist and slid out of bed, heading to the bathroom for a shower. The hot water calmed you and let you think. You really didn’t know what to do with your feelings for Spencer and decided just to set them aside and deal with them once you were safe again and could return home. You turned off the water and stepped out of the shower, grabbing the provided hotel robe, slipping it on and wrapping your hair in a towel before you opened the door, the steam spilling out and onto the carpet. You noticed Spencer was sitting on the bed, watching you stoically. You rolled your eyes, still a little mad.

“Where’s JJ?” You asked, crossing your arms.

“Um, Room 304.” He stumbled and you nodded before grabbing a room key off the coffee table and striding out and down the hall to room 304. You knocked twice and a moment later JJ pulled it open, letting you in.

“What’s up?” She asked.

“Uh, I need someone to go to my apartment, I don’t have any clean clothes.” You said, looking down.

“Oh, I had someone go last night since you were asleep and I didn’t want to make you wake up just to write me a list. James helped.” She said, walking over to the corner of the room where you recognized one of your overnight bags. She picked it up and walked back over to you, handing it over with a gentle smile.

“Thanks,” You paused and took a look around, “Where’s James?”

“Shower,” She said, gesturing toward the bathroom where you finally noticed the sound of the shower running and the light pouring out from under the door. 

You nodded, “Cool, hey, it just kinda made sense to me that you’d stay in my room and Spencer would stay in here. Girls and girls and boys and boys, ya know?” You wondered out loud and she nodded.

“We were gonna do that but Spence insisted that he stay with you, I think he’s worried.” She said.

“Yeah, I know. Well, thanks I’m gonna go get dressed now.” You said with a smile and she nodded, understanding.

“Alright well feel free to order some room service when you get hungry.” She suggested and you nodded before leaving, walking back to your room and sliding in the key card before pulling the door open and walking back into the bathroom. You looked through the bag and pulled out a sweater and some comfy leggings that you would wear around the house on days off, you tossed them on and blow-dried your hair before pulling it into a ponytail. You walked back into the main room, Spencer was reading on his bed and you flopped onto the couch, flicking the tv on and flipping through channels till you found one of your favorite sitcoms. You watched intently, giggling at the corny jokes. You soon got hungry and quickly ordered room service before going back to your spot on the couch. The room service arrived fifteen minutes later and you moved to get up but Spencer beat you to it.

“I got it.” He said quickly and you shrugged before sitting back down. He brought it into the makeshift living room and glanced at him gratefully before digging in. He stood awkwardly before you rolled your eyes and patted the spot next to you on the couch, he sat hesitantly and you gestured to the food in front of you. He smiled a bit before grabbing some fries. You ate in silence, the tension building till you eventually got tired by the silence.

“Just spit it out,” You prodded, nudging his shoulder. 

He looked down, contemplating, before speaking, “You said you were mad at me last night… why?” He asked, his gaze searching your eyes for an answer and you sighed.

“Come on, Spence, aren’t you a genius? You brushed me off when I needed you most. It hurt.” You admitted, looking down.

“Oh, that’s all?” He asked and you nodded.

“What else could it be?” You asked and he shrugged.

“I don’t know. Does this mean we can be best friends again?” He asked and you laughed, nudging his shoulder playfully again.

“We never stopped.” You said with a grin which he returned easily.

“So does this mean I can ask you a sorta personal question?” He asked.

“Shoot.” You went back to eating, munching happily.

“I-is anything going on with you and James?”


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry I took so long to update! Here's a new chapter, feel free to leave a comment and tell me your thoughts! Enjoy!

You looked up at him in shock mid-chew. “What now?” You said incredulously.

He broke your gaze immediately, looking down, “Sorry, I shouldn’t have asked that.” He shook his head, as if punishing himself for possibly messing things up again.

“No, no, no, it’s fine the question just caught me off guard, that’s all.” You rushed out, trying to smooth things out. You took a deep breath. “But no, nothing is going on and nothing will go on. I don’t feel that way about him anymore.”

He looked back up at you, searching your eyes to see if you were telling the truth, he seemed satisfied with what he found. “Really? Why? He’s attractive and you obviously feel comfortable around him.”

You pondered for a moment, “Sure I may feel comfortable around him but that doesn’t necessarily mean I have romantic feelings for him, it’s more like family. I mean I’ve known him since college, we lived together for 9 years.” You finished and he nodded in consideration.

“Okay, that kinda makes sense. So you’re just friends then?” He asked and you nodded with a smile.

“Is the interrogation over?” You teased and he blushed.

“Yeah, sorry.” He murmured and you laughed. You both got into a comfortable position on the couch which ended up with your legs laying across his lap, leaning against the armrest. One of your favorite rom-coms was on and you convinced Spencer to watch it with you, he pretended to protest but you would glance over from time to time to see him completely entranced, as if taking notes. As the credits rolled he turned to you, wanting to know more.

“Are there more of these movies?” He asked and you laughed.

“There are too many to be honest but I think there’s a marathon playing now, you down?” You raised your eyebrows as if challenging him and he grinned.

“Why not?” He agreed and you both settled into your positions. The next movie started and you got about halfway through it till you heard a knock at the door and went to get it. You looked through the peephole to see JJ. You turned and gave a thumbs up to Spencer and he relaxed before going back to the movie with a flash of a smile at you. You turned back around and pulled the door open.

“What’s up?” You asked her.

“I was just checking up on you guys, thought maybe you were getting bored.” She said looking over your shoulder to Spencer. “But I can see you’re preoccupied,” She smiled and you returned it.

“There’s a rom-com marathon on and we got nothin’ better to do,” You shrugged and she nodded.

“Well I’ll leave you guys be,” She started but you cut her off.

“Why don’t you grab James and we all watch it?” You proposed.

“Sure that sounds good, I’ll be back in a minute,” She said gesturing down the hall.

“Alright, see you in a minute.” You said with a smile and she nodded before heading back down the hall. You closed the door and reclaimed your seat next to Spencer, it was only a moment later when there was a knock on the door.

“Huh, that was fast.” You said, moving to get up but Spencer stopped you.

“It’s okay I got it,” He said with a smile and you nodded returning his smile with a small one of your own. You turned back to the TV, settling back into the movie but only for a moment. “Who--” Spencer’s question was cut off and you heard what you later realized was his body dropping to the floor. You stood up and turned, your blood ran cold at the figure you saw in the doorway. Damien. He was standing there with a giddy smile, gun in hand.

“Y/N, my love. We’ve finally been reunited.” He rushed you, pulling a syringe out of his pocket and jamming it into your neck. You felt yourself falling briefly till you felt Damien's arms encasing you, keeping you in his horrible grasp.

“N-no, no… no.” Your voice faded, your eyelids getting heavy and shutting on their own accord. The last thing you saw was Damien's snarl of a smile before you fell unconscious.

\--------

You awoke sometime later, upright and tied to a chair. The first thing you noticed was the searing pain radiating from your wrists and ankles where they were tied. You pried your eyes open to see what you were being tied with and found it was wire spun several times around and pulled so tight there was barely room for circulation. You could feel it digging in and knew if you struggled much there would be blood to follow. You picked up your head and looked through your hair at your surroundings. There was a bright fluorescent light above you, shining way too bright for your taste, but other than that the room was dark. You couldn’t see past the darkness and you squinted in the light. You heard a loud metal creak behind you then a loud bang as the door swung shut. You felt cold hands brush the hair from your neck and you attempted to shrink away but to no avail. You grimaced at the sight of Damien coming around to face you, crouching down in front of you. By now the tears were openly flowing down your cheeks and you itched to brush them away. 

“Hello, darling.” He sneered.

“Please,” You whimpered, sobbing.

He frowned, looking you over. “What’s wrong?” He asked, seemingly unaware of the harm he was causing.

“Why are you doing this?” You asked and his brow creased in confusion.

“Because I love you. Why else?” He said simply and your thoughts raced through situations that could be a possible way out.

“Is there anyway you could loosen the wires? They’re digging into my skin,” You whined and he shot you a soft smile.

“I wish I could be you’d just run away and I can’t have that, I’ve worked too hard to catch you.” He explained with an apologetic smile. It was then you remembered when Damien had showed up and panic coursed through you.

“S-Spencer, what’d you do to him?” You asked, anger rising up while the tears flowed down.

Damien’s eyes darkened at your question and he flipped like a switch, standing up straight, the coldness of him shocking you. “Why do you care? He was getting in the way of us.”

“Did you kill him?!” You shrieked, demanding to know even in your restrained state.

He glared down at you, “If I tell you will you stop screeching like that? It’s pissing me off.” He asked.

“I swear.”


End file.
